Glass Door Knobs – History

August 18, 2010

written by
Vicki Bale Share

Glass Door Knobs – History

GLASS DOOR KNOBS – HISTORY

About Glass

Glass is a combination of silica in the form of sand combined with limestone and soda ash which are melted together at high temperature to form a material suited for a wide range of uses. Chemically glass is more like a liquid but at normal temperature it is so viscous it looks and feels like a solid. When heated to high temperatures it becomes softer and more like a liquid, this allows glass to be poured, blown or in the case of glass door knobs and cupboard knobs pressed and moulded.

This process happens naturally when a volcano erupts and in the intense heat a type of black glass is formed called Obsidian, it was used by man to make tips for spears.

History Of Glass Door Knobs

Glass door knobs to the best of our knowledge, (if you know any other information feel free to add into the comment section below) were at their most popular in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s during the height of Art Nouveau period. In the Art Deco period which followed, door knobs were more popular in brass, nickel, chrome and bakelite.

Production techniques for pressing glass into moulds were developed in the 1820’s, but the industry did not take off in Britain until after the repeal of the Excise Act of 1845. This relieved the heavy taxation burden that had been enforced on the glass industry for a hundred years. By the later 1800’s there were semi automated processes which enabled faster output. This was when the popularity of glass for door knobs really took off. Most antique glass door knobs are clear, coloured glass was used but less frequently, Blue, Green, Amber and Black were the most prevalent. One of the most important places for the production of top quality glass at this time was Bohemia, a historical region in central Europe, located in the modern Czech Republic.

Our Range

Our range includes Glass Door Knobs and Glass Cupboard Knobs. Door knobs are 55mm diameter, cupboard knobs are either 40mm or 55mm. Both are made with nickel plated or brass backs. Colour wise the best seller is clear and we also do black and amber which look good in the right setting.

The glass is top quality Bohemian crystal and they make stunning door knobs.